Medical School Personal Statement

This is for medical school admissions. It is a personal statement and must not exceed the 5300 character maximum which equates to about 1.5 pages single spaced 12 point font *Per AMCAS.* I can also attach information about myself, thank you.
Desire is the insatiable drive to conquer every goal set forth and prove anything is obtainable. As my hero, the late great Muhammad Ali once said, “Impossible is nothing.” While many prospective physicians such as myself have the chance make the impossible possible, now is the chance to reflect on the road that brought us here today. We each likely share similar stories of conquering obstacles, making sacrifices and persevering through difficult times, however the degree of which is significantly varied person to person. While many candidates may apply with similar academic achievements, none are the same person, with the same passions, experiences and thoughts that makes each unique. They are simply what make me who I am. It’s a collection of these properties that dictates the type leaders we will be and who we will ultimately become as doctors. It takes a variety of attributes accumulated through life experiences to mold a successful physician. I can collectively present the best version of myself to you today and I’ll explain why becoming a physician is the surest decision I’ve ever made.
Growing up in the poor, criminal laced streets of Chicago, I knew the best way to escape the fate that haunted my peers was through education. I focused on schoolwork and kept myself distracted from the reality I lived in; I came from an impoverished family in a harsh city. I feel everything I receive today is truly a blessing as I clearly recall never having food day after day, not having proper school supplies or clothes, and of course, never being able to see a doctor or dentist. It is breathtaking when life goes full circle and I am now able to play a role in individual’s lives that walk in the same footsteps I once did. In a place where dreams were just figments of imagination, my brother and I shared a passion for medicine. With him now being an accomplished physician, it is now up to me to join him in our dream. Where my story begins to deviate from the rest is the degree of never ending physical and mental hardship that plagued much of my prime years. Beginning at the young age of sixteen, I faced six kidney surgeries that took its toll on me physically, with little to no support from my oncologist that took its toll on me mentally. My spirits didn’t in any way shape or form relinquish and never did I ask the question “why me,” but rather took it in stride and used it as my motivation to return stronger than ever. It transformed me into who I am today and solidified my interest in nutrition and medicine for the betterment of society.
I value my time in physical rehabilitation centers such as HQ Unlimited and Flexeon for teaching me proper patient interaction, diagnosing, and treating patients in an intimate one on one setting. From day one, the doctors in these centers expected full knowledge of anatomy and physiology and execution of a treatment plan with minimal supervision. These fundamentals carried over when I had become manager at Sovereign Health, as medications, patient vitals, and sampling were now in the mix with a significantly higher patient influx. It also gave me vital experience in the world of mental health as mental health and substance abuse was its specialty. It took outstanding fortitude to handle so many pressure situations day in and day out with an array of variables in such a setting. Having the blessing of being able to speak with these patients, understand their diagnoses and the medications and how they were affected was such a remarkable experience. I quickly worked my way up to becoming a Manager of Operations and training while overseeing 26 facilities across Orange County and working more hand in hand with the clinical staff in order to instill proper procedures in each facility. Interacting with psychiatrists, behavioral specialists and psychologists on a daily basis was such a blessing of its own. It fortified my appreciation and interest in the field, and strengthened my perspective on the power of the mind. There are surely principles I learned from my multitude of experiences that I would love to implement in any field I practice in and eliminate the dependency on prescription medication.
In order to diversify my knowledge of healthcare, I had to expand my scope and reach out of my comfort zone to include the business side of medicine. I knew it would be vital knowledge I could utilize when running a practice or working in any healthcare setting. In my time at the University of La Verne, I was enrolled in the Masters of Health Management program with some of the most powerful minds in healthcare. Amongst my colleagues and professors were CEOs of prestigious hospitals, managers of major health programs, and some of brightest medical personnel from all over the country. Being the youngest person in the program, I truly relished the opportunity of absorbing immense knowledge from such diverse backgrounds in healthcare. Learning the financial, economic and social health perspectives of healthcare and medicine is a truly invaluable experience that I undoubtedly want to take with me into the future to eliminate the disconnect between administrators and clinicians. Immersing myself in business and financial analysis will certainly prove its worth when running my own practice. Perhaps the biggest surprise from my experience was the role we were asked to presume as public health professionals. We were consistently asked to take the prospective as clinicians when viewing health epidemics and create viable solutions. I specifically focused on preventative health measures created for the community moving into the future as they prove to be the most impactful and cost effective measures to solving such issues. There is no doubt that epidemics such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease are not only deadly to the population, but sadly, largely preventable.
This sparked my idea into creating an initiative to taking a step forward in solving this crisis. I formed the Double A Charity Foundation, a non-profit charity organization that aims to help anyone in great need by providing food, clothing, water and shelter all around America. What makes our organization so unique is it is the first of its kind to truly embrace health related causes and intertwine them with fitness. I’ve compiled a team of over 30 of the finest athletes in the Southern California and Chicago area and formed a staff of fitness experts whom not only volunteer at our fundraising events, but also directly converse with our communities, educating them with their knowledge of nutrition and fitness. Our events are typically activity fitness based and aim directly at the youth and their parents. I have also proudly created the Multivitamin Program (MVP), which provides free multivitamins to underprivileged children ensuring proper growth and development, even if food is not always readily accessible. We have since been able to create a variety of programs and fundraisers directly impacting the community. The goal is to create a winning atmosphere that helps everyone involved. Those in desperate need of the bare necessities such as food and clothing are provided by families and children whom participated in our fundraisers. In return, the families get free diet, nutritional and exercise information from some of the top experts in the area, and the children are eligible for our free afterschool tutoring program. Thus, when someone contributes to our organization, everyone can be affected in a positive light. My view is; proactively working with and educating the community on preventative health measures is the ultimate form of medicine.
I would like to continue my mission of serving those in need by committing to working in underfunded areas as a physician. I would like to combine cost effective healthcare with the preventative medicine initiative and truly make a lasting impression going forward. My plan is to deliver preventative health measures at little to no cost, and affordable health plans for those with no other means, with my ultimate goal of running free health clinics in third world countries after I retire. I’ve already began to compile an array of nurses and healthcare staff whom are interested in joining me whenever the opportunity presents itself. It’s my undying passion for change that makes me a strong candidate the join such a prestigious profession. The desire to serve those around you is a rare quality in today’s day and age. I know without question though my own work experiences, research, training, and observations in hospitals and clinics that I possess all the skills, talents and mental drive necessary to become a successful, compassionate physician. I do not hesitate when saying I will take and run with the opportunity and look forward representing your school proudly.